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The Crescent Hills
The Crescent Hills is the home of House Indaris, and has served as such since the elves traveled to Quel’thalas thousands of years ago. Earning its name for the small mountain range near the center of the land, the Crescent Hills is famed for its various valleys and rolling emerald hills. To the northwest lies the eastern border of the Illonian Plains, a vast grassland notable for its horse breeding and wineries and a gateway to much of the greater Gilded Lands. A multitude of petty lords, minor nobles and burgeoning merchant princes dwell within the Crescent Hills, bickering and fighting among themselves for scraps of power. They have all however sworn fealty to House Indaris, who in return rewards the obedient and punishes the disloyal mercilessly. The house gains much of its vast wealth due to natural resources, from lumber and grains to brilliant gems and silver mined deep within the rocks. Along with this, the house maintains trading deals with several other houses of the Gilded Lands, such as that of Mournwood, Greensong and Sol. Due to its location within the center of the Gilded Lands, many of the conflicts that have raged across Quel’thalas have had little lasting impact, making it one of the more pristine locations of the elven kingdom. Sind'al The river Sin’dal, meaning blood of stars in the Elven language due to its glittering beauty, flows through the center of the Gilded Lands. Due to their position along the northern border near the river’s edge, House Mournwood uses the Sin’dal for trade, as various shipping vessels and cargo ships travel downriver into the sea and beyond. As the river passes through the Crescent Hills, and indeed borders Castle Indaris itself, House Mournwood has negotiated for passage through House Indaris’ lands, in return for exclusive trade rights. Nevertheless, House Indaris has built the tower of Tor-Anrel on one of the small islands linking the Indaris home to the rest of the Crescent Hills in order to watch over and make sure Mournwood continues to use the river strictly for trade. In truth this acts as a buffer for conflict between House Mournwood and the southern House Saderis, as the two are bitter rivals. Castle Indaris The seat of House Indaris’ power, Castle Indaris has stood testament to the tenacity, vanity and wealth that the house strives to uphold. It is from here that the Indaris family maintains control of the entirety of the Crescent Hills, holding court within its shining halls. Built into a mountain face in the style of the Highborne of old, the castle’s gleaming violet spires shine as a beacon of nobility and opulence amidst the fertile landscape. Various stone walkways and bridges link between shimmering waterfalls that flow into the river Sin’dal, while the high alabaster walls protect from any invader. Due to its sturdy location high over the river, any attackers must either scale the cliffside in sight of the tower Tor-Anrel, or march across the sole bridge linking the castle to the rest of the land. Unsurprisingly, it has not fallen to any outsider, whether troll, orc or scourge. Moonvale The largest of the three towns, Moonvale’s location within the Illonian Plains allows it great access to the western Gilded Lands. As the plains is famed for both its horse breeding and its wineries, many of its villages and estates sell their goods within the town, which in turn ships them out to the rest of the land. As well as this, the Cavern of Stars and Silver Mines, aptly named for the gemstones and silver they provide, bring their haul to the town before they are shipped out all across Quel’thalas. Unsurprisingly, this has made the town exceedingly rich. Moonvale is also; perhaps ironically, the only place of worship for the newer faith of Belore, as much of the Crescent Hills follows the worship of the moon rather than the sun. Temple of Starlight Built within the mountains of the eastern crescent, the Temple of Starlight is devoted to the worship of the moon. Many have accused House Indaris of following the old ways of their Night Elven cousins, with rumors of worship to their god Elune. Yet the House claims the temple is devoted to the ways before the rise of the sun; when light and arcane were melded without intervention of “thieving Blood Knights and crystalline entities”. The temple boasts a unique room known as the Star Chamber, where priests read the constellations within a pitch black room, lit only by glittering gemstones built into the roof of the chamber. There has been conflict with the branch of the new faith within Moonvale, though there has been no violence yet. The Gilded Sanctum It is from the Gilded Sanctum that the Gilded Council, a coalition of the various great houses of the Gilded Lands, enacts its desires, wills and wishes. Every ten years the various lords of the Gilded Lands meet to discuss the goings on of their lands, broker deals and alliances and inevitably debate and argue for days over the various matters of politics. The Sanctum’s architecture is more in line with that of the high elves rather than the Highborne, its central chamber built into an array of rows and balconies for the various lords and ladies to stand and discuss. Within the middle of the room however is the marble thrones, and it is there the ruler of the most powerful house, that of Indaris, resides during the proceedings. Category:Places Category:Quel'Thalas Locations